Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been pulled from his scheduled Nov. 25, UFC Fight Night 122 bout against Kelvin Gastelum after he failed an out-of-competition drug test administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Oct. 26.

The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Anderson Silva of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on October 26, 2017. As a result, Silva has been provisionally suspended by USADA. Due to the proximity of Silva’s upcoming scheduled bout at UFC Fight Night, Shanghai, China on November 25, 2017 against Kelvin Gastelum, Silva has been removed from the card and UFC is currently seeking a replacement.

USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Silva. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full and fair legal process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.

This is not the first drug test failure for Silva. He failed an out-of-competition drug test related to his UFC 183 fight against Nick Diaz. Silva tested positive for the steroids drostanolone and androsterone. The results of the test were not available until after the event, so the fight went on as planned.

Silva won the fight via unanimous decision, but that result was later overturned to a no contest. Diaz also failed a pre-fight drug test. He tested positive for marijuana metabolites. Silva was suspended for one year by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for the positive test.

Silva's prior failed drug test occurred before the UFC began using USADA to administer its anti-doping program.

The UFC is searching for a replacement opponent for Gastelum.

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